As glass tile has grown in popularity, more and more companies are marketing glass tile from around the world.  However, with no standard criteria for the manufacture and performance of glass tile in place, quality problems and installation failures have occurred.

Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and its glass tile manufacturing members are leading the way in the creation of a glass tile standard, ANSI A137.2 American National Standard Specifications for Glass Tile.  ANSI A137.2 reduces confusion in the marketplace by categorizing and defining the different types of glass tile and by establishing real-world performance standards.  Some of the key issues the standard covers include:

• Methods of manufacture: cast, fused, and low temperature-coated
• Categorization by size: large format, mosaic, and miniature mosaic
• What constitutes a defect
• Mounting criteria for mounted glass mosaics
• Measurement and definition of translucence
• Strength criteria
• Thermal shock resistance using real life temperature ranges
• Levels of recycled content

This much needed standard, which was approved at the close of 2011 by the ANSI A108 Committee, is a valuable tool for producers, suppliers, specifiers, and end users.